Characters in order of appearance
Location INT. DINING ROOM
Script A long dinner table separates the dining room. Zipher sits at one end of the table with his glass of wine. He adjusts the cutlery carefully straightening it before putting his elbows on the table’s edge with his fingers together pointing upwards. We only see the back of his head. Higgs approaches him from behind holding two dinner plates. As he passes Zipher he carefully places one of the plates in his front. The plate consists of a transparent bag with dark brown liquid substance floating within. Attached to the bag is a metal tube 60 centimeters in length and only a few in width. Zipher rotates the plate slightly closer to himself. ”Wonderful.” Higgs makes his way to the other end of the table and takes a seat with his plate, consisting of a large piece of meat and roast vegetables. We see Zipher’s eyes peer down to admire the meat before seeing his mouth move. ”Your talents. Do not make ends meet of the Sky Force Captain.” Zipher smiles and Higgs smirks back in response. Zipher pushes with his feet sliding his chair back a few inches. He takes the end of the tube from his dinner plate and pushes the snout into a notch on his uniform positioned on his lower left ribcage. He checks it’s integrity by placing his hand around the connection seemingly attempting to tighten it. Moments later the fluid in the bag starts pumping through the tube and directly into his stomach. He leans back in his chair closing his eyes with pleasure. His breathing slows. Higgs picks up the knife and fork by his meal and begins to cut away at his meat. The air is still and very silent. Higgs appears confident and calm. “So. With the warm solstice approaching. And you coming to see me at such short notice. In person, for that matter. My only assumption is you're here to speak with me about the latest shipment errands, I assume. Unless of course you’re just, hungry.” Higgs takes a bite of his food. Zipher opens his eyes. He slowly leans forward looking over at Higgs. This is the first time we properly see his face, a stilted wretched elderly man with sharp upper sanpaku eyes stares deep into Higgs. There is a long pause as the two maintain eye contact. Suddenly Zipher lets out a loud laughing wheeze that slowly transpires into a cough. Zipher immediately resumes his seriousness. ”The shipments will proceed Captain, that is not my concern, that is not why I am here.” Short pause as Higgs swallows his mouthful. “As citizens of the Gates and labourers to the Heavens, each and everyone, has a role to play. With the relief of children and expandability of technologies we as human beings are more than able to achieve any role. Some take their time in learning, unfortunates can take a lifetime to learn a simple task that the average man may learn in a week. But you Captain, are the first I have admired in my 220 years, to learn of exceptionality. You have climbed to your rank of the Sky Force in a mere decade, and to achieve the title of a Captain I have never seen done before in such time, especially that of a Gate’s citizen. Now as all these tasks have in common they are only but stepping stones. Previously achieved occupations only to be inevitably replaced in turn. If you understand the literature you understand the task, there is no means for creativity, there is no means for exploration, there is only the task, and its capable efficiency. But Captain, as the 9th Kin, I do take the responsibility of exploration. I tie the shoes to the feet to the steps of the unknown. To achieve such creativity, to prolong advances of such technology, now that of an individual is a task only to be given to the highest of order. And that is where your bridge will cease Captain, and for all citizens alike.” Another short pause with contemplation. ”It doesn’t scare you? To have so much responsibility, so much control.” ”No. No Captain. It scares you.” The two share a short pause of freezing eye contact. ”As the great Surrogate exclaims, you control the prolonging of artificial intelligence and you control the world, the singularity holds true. AI has the capacity to learn at exponential rates, comprehending advancements incalculable to the human mind, but, distinguishable when fused with it.” Zipher points to the temple of his head. His orange eyes glisten and then the tube upon his stomach pops off. He places the tube back onto his plate and pushes it to the side. ”A splendid meal Captain. You are privileged to eat of such delicacy.” Zipher looks over at Higgs to see he has not eaten much of his dinner and already has his knife and fork placed back down. Higgs takes a sip of his wine. ”Is something the matter? You do not eat?” ”Oh uh, yea. I guess I’m just not used to such large meals yet. A vacuum diet can really take it out of you haha.” Short pause. Zipher looks at Higgs then down at his plate. ”Would you mind?” Higgs appears confused by the question at first then to his realisation understands Zipher is implying to finish his meal. ”Oh yea of course. It’s all yours.” Higgs stands up with his plate and places it in front of Zipher. He then takes a seat. Zipher takes his gloves off and places them together on the table to his side. He rubs his pale white palms together to warm them up. Zipher delicately picks up the knife as he smells the delicious meat. ”I didn’t think Raven could eat.” ”It’s not that we can’t. It’s that we don’t want to. But occasionally I find myself succumbing to such pleasures. Unhealthy really.” Zipher stabs the meat viciously with his fork and shovels it down is throat in whole. He moans closing his eyes joyfully. ”Overcooked.” Higgs watches him in silence as he chews his mouthful and washes it down with wine. “Tell me, Captain, are you aware how many Gates citizens have successfully escaped since the ruling under my Kin?” Zipher stabs a bunch of vegetables and shovels them down his mouth. “Yes.” Zipher continues to talk with his mouth full of food. “And how many is that, Captain?” “None.” Zipher smiles pleased by the Captain’s response. “Correct. 197 years, and not a single unexcused act of treason.” Zipher finishes the last piece of food on the plate taking a serviette from the table to wipe his face. He then tosses it down over the plate pushing it forward. “You are an intelligent man, Captain Higgs. But are you as educated as you are intelligent? No, I’m afraid not.” The both of them sit in silence staring at each other across the dinner table. ****A short amount of time passes. Higgs remains in his seat at the dinner table facing Zipher who faces out a window on the opposite side of the room. Rain thunders against the glass. The room is dark, gloomy and silent. Higgs looks down at the floor as if trying to remember something. ”Y’know, I can’t recall the last time it ever stopped raining.” He chuckles to himself and takes the last gulp of his wine. ”67 years, 214 days, 16 hours and 8 minutes. You could look up at the sky without the rain hitting your face. You could make out the sun through the clouds.” ”Wow, I didn’t know about that. Must’ve been a beautiful sight.” ”It was... for 30 seconds.” As Zipher says the last few words he turns around and gives Higgs the first genuine smile yet. The two share a moment before Zipher turns back around to face his window. ”And tomorrow, we will endure some of the lowest category storms we have seen yet... But you already knew that didn’t you, Captain?” Captain Higgs does not reply and instead sits in deep silence. His facial expression dramatically drops to a more frightening look. Zipher turns toward the Captain. ”Still wanna play games Captain?” There is a long pause as the Captain slowly leans back in his chair shocked. Zipher returns looking back out the window. ”I know everything Captain Higgs. I don’t know how many times I have to say it. Our technology, is, incomprehensible. I’m sure you came to the conclusion had you ever got caught you’d be put to death immediately. Which although is true, is not always, a sound solution. I don’t enjoy playing cat, as much as I assume you must hate playing mouse. So I’m going to put this simply.” Zipher keeps his back to Higgs looking out the window as he talks. Coming to the end of this monologue Higgs sneaks a silver knife from his plate off the table and into his hand. Zipher turns around keeping a very stern expression. Zipher talks as he walks up to Higgs sitting in his chair. Higgs stands up from his chair and faces Zipher who stands right before him. ”I want the names of the two passengers. And your death will be quick.” Higgs thinks about it for a moment before seemingly accepting his position and opening up. He takes a long inhale through his nose and breathes out. ”There are no names. I had no plan. No idea where to go. Just extra food and supplies. For only, myself. That is all.” Zipher studies the facial and eye movements of Higgs. ”You are within violation of the Heaven’s first Law Captain. It is only fair, you do not lie to me.” Higgs begins to change his attitude towards the now volatile conversation. ”Am I? Zipher. Am I lying to you? Do you know a liar when you see one? Is that part of the technology? That shit inside your eyes?” Zipher stares blankly consuming Higgs dialogue. ”Tell me, Captain. Does killing you quickly, even make a difference?” The Captain scoffs. ”No.” Higgs raises his eyes towards Zipher’s in a stern motion. ”But this will.” Higgs lunges his right arm out toward Zipher’s throat holding the silver knife. Zipher glistens his eyes activating an orange shield that holds the knife right before his neck and freezes Higgs’ arm in place. Zipher does not blink nor leave eye contact with Higgs. “I’ve always been sure if given the opportunity you would kill me Captain. Many have tried, many have failed.” Zipher raises his hand slowly taking the silver knife from Higgs. ”Many have tried. Because you have failed, this city!” rising anger The two now share menacingly aggressive eye contact. Zipher begins to look absolutely furious as though he is more upset by Higgs demeanour then his actual crime. “You dare speak to me in that tonality.” calm and collective “Where is your honor!?” screaming in an absolute rage “My honor? Died with my wife.” taking his time so his comment settles in “Then your pride, will die with you.” mocking Higgs taking his time so his comment settles in Zipher plunges the silver knife directly up through the bottom of Higg’s jaw. You can see the blade as Higgs opens his mouth choking. Zipher yanks the knife from Higg’s throat. He falls to the floor jittering around in pain whilst blood rushes out from his mouth. Zipher continues to look down at Higgs. As Higgs slowly chokes to death, he looks over at the wardrobe once more, holding strong eye contact with it. The front door opens as air gushes out of the room. An excessively tall Neostram Raven walks through the door, it is Darc. ”Transport is ready my Kin.” Zipher finally takes his eyes off Higgs and slowly glances up to his side at the Raven . He then places the knife back on the table making sure it is straight. Suddenly there is a subtle squealing cry that comes from a wardrobe across the room. Zipher turns to face the direction and talks to himself. ”It seems our Captain’s honour, died long before his wife.” Darc makes his way over to the wardrobe and opens it. A boy lunges out of the space and tries to tackle Darc but upon touch is zapped causing him to fall to the floor unconscious. Darc looks up to see who else is in the wardrobe. Zipher narrows his eyes across the room when he sees who it is. “My oh my Captain, the blood on your hands." He then slowly walks across the room stepping over Higgs’ body as he moves. Stopping right at the wardrobes opening. Zipher squats down so he is horizontally in line of sight with the individual. "It has been quite some time since I have laid eyes upon a child, especially, that alive in the flesh.” On the ground lays Kay and within the wardrobe is Ely, crowded in the corner. Tears run down her eyes as Darc and Zipher stand over her. We hear a piano in the corner of the room begin to play.
Dramatic Question Will Kay and Ely survive their travels across the surface and find refuge at Mt. Rawn?